State Rep. Mike Harris on Thursday voted for a bipartisan solution to implement fair earned sick time policies and protect workers and small businesses from job-killing mandates that were set to take effect on Friday.

The vote on House Bill 4002, which was the culmination of lengthy negotiations between House Republicans and Senate Democrats, follows a separate vote Wednesday on Senate Bill 8 to preserve the tipped wage option for restaurant servers and bartenders. The bipartisan compromise bills come just ahead of the Feb. 21 deadline when a Michigan Supreme Court ruling phasing out the tipped wage and instituting unworkable sick time rules was set to take effect.

“After a long and vocal effort by the people of Michigan, the Legislature is taking action to save the jobs of Michigan workers and keep small businesses in our communities afloat,” said Harris, R-Waterford. “The Supreme Court’s decision was going to drive our local mom-and-pop shops and restaurants out of business, put workers out of their jobs, and take away the tips of restaurant workers. I’ve heard from so many hard-working people in Oakland County since the decision came down last summer, and I’ve been working nonstop to stop these reckless mandates. Finally, Senate Democrats came to the negotiating table, and House Republicans secured the best possible bipartisan compromise to rescue Michigan families and small businesses from the disaster that was barreling their way.”

HB 4002 fixes Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act to provide flexible earned sick leave options for workers, recognizing the challenges faced by small and family-owned businesses. Without this legislative plan, the Supreme Court ruling would impose over-the-top mandates that would eliminate generous paid time off policies, and force businesses to lay off workers or even close due to complicated red tape that will raise costs. The bipartisan plan also safeguards businesses from baseless lawsuits and protects workers and employers from no-call, no-show absences that could leave workplaces short-staffed — a need that’s particularly important in emergency services and other critical industries.

SB 8 ensures tipped workers continue earning their base wage plus tips, keeping the tip credit at 38% of the standard minimum wage this year while implementing gradual increases, ultimately capping at 50% of the minimum wage by 2031.

The bills proceed Thursday night to the governor for her imminent approval.